Electric torch



Patented Nov. 25, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application February 15, 1940, Serial No. 819,160 In Great Britain August 18, 1938 Claims.

This invention relates to electric torches.

The main object of the present invention is to provide an electric hand torch which will enable any one of a number of bulbs to be selectively moved into an operative position, the torch being constructed in a manner which is simple and cheap and yet reliable in service.

According to the present invention an electric hand torch comprises in combination a casing to receive an electric battery, an apertured reflector, means mounting said reflector in said casing, a support, means mounting said support for rotation in said casing behind said reflector, a plurality of bulb holders, means mounting said bulb holders for sliding movement in said support, means to rotate said support to bring any one of the bulb holders in line with the aperture in said reflector, operating means to slide the bulb holders, and means on each bulb holder so disposed as the support is rotated to move into cooperating engagement with the said operating means as the bulb holder moves into line with the aperture in the reflector whereby the particular holder in line with the aperture can be caused by operation of the operating member to slide to carry a bulb in the holder from the rear of the reflector through the aperture to a position of use at the front of the reflector.

Preferably the means arranged for cooperating engagement comprise a tongue and lug connection, each of the bulb holders having on it one part of the connection and the operating member having on it the other part so that when the support is rotated the said second parts on the bulb holder successively move into engagement with the first part of the connection as the holders successively move into register with the aperture.

Other features of the invention will become apparent on reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a front elevation and Figure 2 a vertical section of the torch. Figure 3 is an elevation of part of the torch casing showing the variable resistance casing, Figures 4 and 5 being sections on the lines AA, BB of Figure 2 respectively. Figure 6 is'a detail view of the bulb casing, and Figure 7 a detail view of part of a focussing device.

Referring to the drawing, the torch comprises a lens I contained in known manner in a screw threaded lens holder 2 detachably secured around a cap 3 connected to the torch casing forming the upper part of a cell chamber 28 closed at its lower end by a removable cover 9. Above the cell chamber 28 is housed a chamber 4 comprising a lid member H and bottom member ll' connected by vertical members H", In represents a normal reflector and I2 the bulb socket. The chamber 28 is slotted in two places to allow a potentiometer or series resistance control knob 5 and a focussing button 6, for moving a bulb 20A, 203 or 280 into operative position, to extend therethrough. I i1- lustrates the operating portion of a lever which controls therotary movement of a multi-bulb chamber or casing 22 mounted within the bulb chamber 4, the casing 22 being rotated through a quadrant or arcuate rack 'I' meshing with a toothed wheel l8 fast to a main shaft I6 secured to the casing 22. A, B, and 0 represent three different positions to which the lever I can be moved to rotate the casing 22 and hence the bulbs 28A, 26B, 20C, and bring one of them into such position that operation of the button 6 will move one of the bulbs upwardly through the reflector l0. 8 is the main current control switch with terminals 24, 25. I3 represents the poteniometer or series resistance having a tapping rod H by means of which the voltage of the current supplied to a bulb can be varied. Each bulb 28A, 203, or 200 is mounted in a holder l4 slidable within the casing 22 provided with an insulation flange IS, the casing being slotted at 22 to receive fork lugs or flanges 26 on the holders l4. ISA, I6B, and I60 are three conductor rods connected respectively to the bulb holders 20A, 20B, and 20C. 2| represents a terminal which contacts with any of the three rods I6A, I6B or I6C when the respective bulb is in the operative position.

'I'hecasing 22 is provided with stops 22' formed by the end wall of the slot 22 and adapted to limit the sliding movement of the holders II by contacting the uppermost of the two projecting lugs or flanges 26. These latter are disposed to receive between them a tongue 6 on the end of a rod 6' on which the button 6 is mounted, (see Figures 6 and '7) I In operation, if a bulb, for example, 283, is in the operative position (see Figures 2 and 6) and fails to function when current is supplied thereto the button 6 (the tongue 6 on which is engaged between the lugs 26 on the appertaining holder I4) is moved downwardly in its slot so as to withdraw the bulb 203 to its inoperative position below the reflector Ill. The casing 22 is then rotated by the lever 1 until a fresh bulb, either 20A or 200 is brought into alignment with the aperture in the reflector ID at which time the lugs 26 onthe selected holder l4 have passed over the tongue 6 so that by moving the button 6 upwardly the holder [4 will be slid upwardly in the casing 22 to bring the selected bulb to the operative position and the torch is then ready for use.

Inasmuch as the tongue 6 is adapted to have interlocking or two-way driving engagement with the connection means provided by the lugs 26-46, the bulb holders can be slid positively in either direction by the application of manually exerted force.-

It will be appreciated that when the cells are becoming exhausted, the series resistance may be adjusted through the control knob 5.

What I claim is:

1. An electric hand torch comprising in combination a casing to receive an electric battery, an apertured reflector, means mounting said reflector in said casing, a support, means mounting said support for rotati'on in said casing behind said reflector, a plurality of bulb holders, means mounting said bulb holders for sliding movement in said support, means to rotate said support to bring any one of the bulb holders in line with the aperture in said reflector, operating means for sliding the bulb holders, and connection means on each bulb holder so formed and disosed that, as the support is rotated to move a particular bulb holder into line with the aperture in the reflector, said connection means will be brought into two-way driving engagement with said operating means, whereby said particular holder can be moved positively in both direc tions by manual effort exerted on the operating means to carry the bulb in the holder from a position in rear of the reflector to a position in front of the reflector, or from the position in front of the reflector to the position in rear of the reflector.

2. An electric hand torch comprising in combination a casing to receive an electric battery, an apertured reflector, means mounting said reflector in said casing, a support, means mounting said support for rotation in said casing behind said reflector, a plurality of bulb holders. means mounting said bulb holders for sliding movement in said support, means to rotate said support to bring any one 01' the bulb holders in line with the aperture in said reflector, an operating member, said member having on it one part of an interlocking tongue and lug connection and each of the bulb holders having on it the second part of said connection whereby as the support is rotated the said second parts; successively move into two-way driving engagement with the first part of the connection as the: holders successive- 1y move into register with the aperture, and means mounting said operating member for slidable movement on a wall of said casing whereby when the operating member is slid in one direction, the particular bulb holder whose one part of the tongue and lug connection is in engagement with the part on the operating member is moved positively by manually exerted force to carry a bulb on the holder from the rear of the reflector through the aperture to the front of the reflector, and, when the operating member is slid in the otherv direction, said bulb holder is moved positively by manually exerted force to carry said bulb from the front of the reflector to the rear of the reflector.

3. An electric hand torch comprising in combination a casing to receive an electric battery, an apertured reflector, means mounting said reflect'or in said casing, a support, means mounting said support for rotation in said casing behind said reflector, a plurality of bulb h'olders, means mounting said bulb holders for sliding movement in said support, a toothed quadrant, means mounting said quadrant for pivotal movement in said casing, a pinion on said support and in mesh with the quadrant whereby when said quadrant is pivoted the support is rotated to bring any one 01 the bulb holders in line with the aperture in said reflector, operating means to slide the bulb holders, and means on each bulb holder so disposed as the support is rotated to move into cooperating engagement with the said operating means as the bulb h'older moves into line with the aperture in the reflector, whereby the particular holder in line with the aperture can be caused by operation of the operating member to slide to carry a bulb in the holder from the rearoi the reflector through the aperture to a position of use at the front of the reflector.

4. An electric hand torch comprising in combination a casing to receive an electric battery, an apertured reflector, means mounting said reflector in said casing, a support, means mounting said support for rotation in said casing behind said reflector, a plurality of bulb holders, means mounting said bulb holders for sliding movement in said support, a toothed quadrant, means mounting said quadrant for pivotal movement in said casing, a pinion on said support and in'mesh with the quadrant whereby when said quadrant is pivoted the support is rotated to bring any one of the bulb holders in line with the aperture in said reflector, an operating member, said member having on it one part of a tongue and lug connection and each of the bulb holders having on it the second part of said connection whereby as the support is rotated the said second parts successively move into engagement with the first part of the connection as the holders successively move into register with the aperture and means mounting said operating member for slidable movement on a wall of said casing whereby when the operating member is slid in one direction the particular bulb holder whose one part of the tongue and lug connection is in engagement with the part on the operating member is moved to carry a bulb on the holder from the rear of the reflector through the aperture to the front of the reflector.

5. An electric hand torch comprising in combination a casing to receive an electric battery, an apertured reflector, means mounting said reflector in said casing, a support, means mounting said support for rotation in said casing behind said reflector, a plurality of bulb holders, means mounting said bulb holders for sliding movement in said support, means to rotate said support to bring any one of the bulb holders in line with the aperture in said reflecton operating means for sliding the bulb holders, connection means on each bulb h'older so formed and disposed that, as the support is rotated to move a particular bulb holder into line with the aperture in the reflector, said connection means will be brought into twoway driving engagement with said operating means, whereby. said particular holder can be moved positively in both directions by manual effort exerted on the operating means to carry the bulb in the holder from a position in rear of the reflector to a position in front of the reflector, or from the position in front of the reflector to the position in the rear of the reflector, a stationary electric contact in said casing, and an extension on each bulb holder, the said extensions moving successively into engagement with said contact as the various bulb holders move into line with the aperture.

CHAN CHO CHAK. 

